Upcoming Events

Holiday Networking Event

The Real Property Section of the State Bar of California invites you to come together for some holiday cheer in San Diego. State Bar Real Property Law Section members, attorneys, local real estate industry groups, clients, potential clients and law students interested in real property law are invited. This will be an excellent opportunity to see old friends and create new relationships. Wine, beer, soft drinks and appetizers will be provided.

SPACE IS LIMITED – RSVP REQUIRED

There is no cost to attend this event, but please e-mail your RSVP, as space is limited.

Recent Legal Developments

Debunking the Sham Guaranty Defense

Throughout the not too distant financial crisis and continuing today, real estate project sponsors have sought, and continue to seek, to avoid personal liability on defaulted real estate loans by asserting what has become known as the “sham guaranty defense”. While the “sham guaranty defense” takes on many forms, its essential characteristic is that the project sponsor alleges that its loan guaranty is unenforceable as the sponsor/guarantor is in effect the borrower and thus entitled to the full panoply of California’s one-action and anti-deficiency protections generally available to borrowers but not true guarantors.

Current Real Property Case Tweets From CEB

Following are California real property law tweets and links, provided courtesy of CEB. See California, U. S. Supreme Court, and 9th Circuit daily case tweets on Twitter.com at CEB_CA:

City of San Jose v. Sharma (Third Dist., 11/3/16) [Government Law, Tax Law]
After dissolution of redevelopment agency, revenue from property tax increment revenue imposed to raise funds for county pensions must be allocated to the successor agency; certain tax increment revenue must be passed through to the county.

Courtesy of CEB, we are bringing you selected legal developments in areas of California real property law that are covered by CEB’s publications. This month’s feature is from the October 2016 update to CA Mechanics Liens and Related Construction Remedies (Cal CEB). References are to the book’s section numbers. See CEB’s RPLS landing page for special discounts for section members.

Chapter 6, which covers the enforcement of mechanics lien claims against real property owners in bankruptcy, was substantially expanded and revised in 2016 by the addition of (1) new strategies and practice tips for creditors (see §§6.3–6.4, 6.12A, 6.13, 6.23, 6.47–6.48) and (2) new sections that cover in greater detail remedies for violations of the automatic stay, for avoid preferences, and for fraudulent transfers (see §§6.46A–6.46C, 6.51–6.52, 6.78A, 6.80). The chapter also has new references to bankruptcy forms, bankruptcy court rules, and other resources for bankruptcy practice. Read more.

Section News

On-line Billing and Payment for 2017 Fees

The State Bar will be launching a new on-line billing and payment application for 2017 fees. Paper billing statements will not be sent to members. Instead, statements will be available online through My State Bar Profile. Individual members will continue to be able to make payments online through My State Bar Profile. Attorneys should make sure that the email they have provided for State Bar communications is up to date.

Law firms and agencies will be able to use the State Bar’s new Agency Billing system where they can calculate billing costs and make payments for a group of attorneys.

Please be sure your Section Membership Fees are included in your payment.

Once an attorney’s fees are paid, a paper bar card will be conveniently available for download through My State Bar Profile. Plastic bar cards will still be made available, but only upon request and can also be ordered through My State Bar Profile.

The online billing system makes it easier than ever for individual attorneys and agencies to help make the justice system available to everyone. When paying your bill, please consider making a contribution in support of legal services for low income Californians. Your support is a lifeline that can help prevent homelessness, keep kids in school, protect elders from fraud and abuse, and connect veterans to services, among other critical legal assistance.

It is anticipated that the on-line agency and billing application will be available through the State Bar’s website by mid-December.

Go to calbar.ca.gov for more information, or contact Member Records and Compliance at 1-888-800-3400.

Full details about the 2017 California Real Property Journal Law Student Writing Competition are now posted online. The deadline for submissions is January 20, 2017. The prize includes a complimentary one-year subscription to the CEB Real Property OnLAW Library, a $500 cash stipend, and having the winning article published in the Journal.

Congratulations to Joseph Lewis of the
University of San Francisco School of Law! He's the winner of the the 2016 California Real Property Journal Law Student Writing Competition! Mr. Lewis' article,
Can a Rent-Controlled Lease Be Exempted from a Bankruptcy Estate?, will appear in a future edition of the California Real Property Journal.

Our Own E-Bulletin Cartoonist, Scott Miller!

We are delighted to publish legal cartoons from one of our own -- Scott Miller.
Scott is Of Counsel to Dudnick Detwiler Rivin & Stikker LLP in San Francisco.
His practice focuses on commercial real estate and environmental law. Check
out http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2646318 to order Scott's book on real
estate cartoons, entitled A New Lease on Life. If you have any
suggested topics for Scott, please feel free to contact him at miller@ddrs.com,
and who knows? You might get your idea immortalized in the next E-Bulletin!

Thank You for Being a Section Member - Here's 6 Hours MCLE in Legal Ethics!

We're very grateful for your membership in the Section. As a token of that, we're offering six hours of self-study MCLE credit in the area of Legal Ethics. The programs are posted in our Member's Only Area.

Simply watch the programs and read the accompanying materials, and keep track of having done so. You can report this to the State Bar when it's time to demonstrate your compliance with the MCLE requirements.

The Real Property Law Section Is Now on Facebook and Twitter

We're pleased to announce that the Real Property Law Section has its own social media presence now. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. We're looking forward to interacting with a wider community and reaching out to people who are not currently members.

Save Money with CEB

Continuing Education of the Bar, California (CEB) is extending some special discount offers to our section. As a member of the Real Property Law Section, you're eligible for:

10% off selected CEB print or online books

A rebate on your section dues that can be applied to the cost of a CEB Gold CLE Passport or a CLE program ticket

A complete list of the products eligible for a discount is available on a CEB web page accessible through our Members Only Area. Information about the section dues rebate program can be found on the CEB Web site.